Secret Souls, Passionate Hearts
by Seraphina Greene
Summary: Ferb vanished shortly after high school graduation. Twelve years later after Phineas and Ferb sat under that tree in their backyard, Ferb comes home with a story to tell. Will he be welcomed back with open arms? Will he finally find real love? Now done!:
1. Chapter 1: Not the Type to Vanish

_Second P&F fanfic, I'm so happy! I know somma you don't like this pairing, but if you're reading this, you should! NO FLAMES PLEASE. For those who appreciate, please enjoy. Reviews are appreciated. I do not own Phineas and Ferb or related characters! All rights go to Disney and creators. 3 SeraGreene12_

**Secret Souls, Passionate Hearts**

**Chapter 1: Not the Type to Vanish**

**Isabella's POV**

I never thought Ferb was the type of person to vanish. Well . . . until it happened.

Ferb had always been cool, calm, and collected, and he talked sparingly, knowing that about 85% of what humans say is simply irrelevant.

_When Phineas and I were eleven and Ferb was thirteen . . . _

It was just him and his step-brother Phineas, sitting under the tree in the backyard. Then came me, Isabella. I moved in across the street a short time after Ferb and his father moved to America from Britain.

When school started, we met Baljeet and Buford, and we met Django and Irving last summer. There are a lot of us now, but it all went back to the two of them under that tree.

_Nine years later . ._ .

At the end of graduation, Phineas and I were looking for a home for the two of us, and when we came back to ask his opinion on something, he was just gone.

The room he'd shared with his red-haired step-brother was half-empty. All of his stuff was gone. Only his bed remained, the sheets pulled up and tucked neatly at the corners, a sign that he hadn't slept there in a while. There was no note, no warning. Nothing. He was just gone.

Phineas always tried to laugh and smile like he always did, but I could see him sit and stare into space when he thought I wasn't looking, missing his other half.

_Three years later . . ._

Phineas and I are engaged. We have been for nearly two years. We keep putting off the wedding, hoping Ferb will come home.

We try to stay optimistic, but it's been so long. Phineas is getting worse every day. Tomorrow is December 1st. The winter holidays are coming soon.

Phineas is staying late at the office tonight. He's cooped up there, and he won't tell me why.

He came home with tears of happiness in his eyes. Ferb wrote an email to his office box. The two of us spend the evening reminiscing about the times the three of us shared.

**No POV**

"There's something about the winter holidays that makes me all sentimental," Isabella said to her fiancé a week before their new-found holiday, Chanukah, a combination of Hanukah and Christmas, made especially due to their separate religious backgrounds.

"That's funny, Izzy. I was thinking the same thing."

"Nearly everyone's sitting down all snuggled up together. Baljeet and Ginger, Gretchen and Jon, Buford and Adyson suddenly are all cosy-cosy, Candace with Jeremy, Stacy with Coltrane, Pinky met another chihuahua, even Perry met another platypus." Isabella smiled at the two of them curled up on the floor in their nest, where Perry Jr. lay sleeping and another egg ready to hatch the coming spring.

Phineas put his arm around her and smiled, then looked sadly into his lap. "Everyone but Ferb."

"Yeah, whatever happened to him? One day, he just seemed to disappear without a trace."

"I managed to connect with him long enough to invite him to Chanukah, but we have no way of knowing if he'll show."

"If he does, he'll be welcomed back with open arms. I just wonder what he's been doing all these years, Phin. What would cause him to move so much, without any ties to back home?"


	2. Chapter 2: Commin' Home, Story to Tell

**Chapter 2: Commin' Home, Story to Tell**

A few days later, Phineas was working late at his corporation, Phintaboulous Architecture Ferb You Inc., when he found that he had another email from Ferb. He'd been pretty busy all day and hadn't even sat down to check until after hours.

He called Isabella who was sitting at home, and she came as quick as she could.

"Phineas and Isabella,

I wanted to wish you Congratulations. I'd also like to let you know that I will be able to attend Chanukah this year. I won't, however; be returning home until then. Don't come looking for me. It'll put you in danger. I'm happy and healthy, with a few scars and bruises, but alive. Don't worry about me. I'll take care of myself, and you'll see me soon,

Love Ferb."

"Yeah, Phin. I can see what you mean about there not being enough clues to even have a chance of finding him. It's practically encrypted."

"I guess we'll just have to wait, Izzy. This sounds serious; we don't want to put anyone in danger. Besides. Chanukah is only a few days away."

(((((())))))))

Chanukah had arrived. Baljeet and Ginger arrived first, at 6:00 exactly, having planned this trip three months in advance. Then Buford and Adyson shortly after, Buford no doubt still attempting to get Baljeet to agree to the Bully-Nerd agreement pact. Gretchen came with her beau whom she'd met in college, and Candace, Jeremy, Stacy, and Coltrane all arrived together. Django and Mishti showed up shortly after 6:30, and Vanessa soon followed, taking her time, knowing that she was only there to opt out from being with her dad.

Everyone was milling around, chatting, and congratulating each other when the doorbell rang.

When Isabella opened the door, there stood Ferb. He had that look in his eyes that said _I told you I'd be here, didn't I? Now here I am._

He'd grown incredibly tall, and he appeared to be so much more mature. His hair had gotten shaggy around the edges, as if he hadn't cut it in a while, and it needed to be dyed again, the green had faded, and was only at the tips anymore, giving his hair a rushed feel.

Hands in his pockets, he stood there, awkwardly out in the cold, silent as ever, knowing that he was alone.

"Oh it's good to see you again, Ferb! I missed you so much!" Isabella exclaimed, overwhelmed with seeing her soon-to-be brother-in-law and jumping up to hug him.

Then Phineas appeared, giving him a one-armed hug, then placing it around his shoulders and refusing to let go for a while.

When Ferb finally managed to get in out of the cold, hugs from everyone followed, including Vanessa, who gave him a more friendly hug than she meant to, astonished by how tall and _handsome_ he looked.

He wasn't at all the kid he used to be. He'd grown several feet in the last few years, and now she had to look up to see eye-to-eye with him. His legs were still very long, but he'd grown into them, and they weren't lanky anymore. Hints of his boyish face peeked through his masculine features. His eyes seemed to sparkle in childish excitement, but it seemed to give him character rather than discredit him. His tendency to talk sparingly seemed as true as ever—or perhaps he was simply overwhelmed by the people that occupied the room.

Vanessa noticed all of these things, and couldn't help comparing him to the little boy she'd known all those years ago. She had been completely aware of Ferb's crush on her long ago, and at the time, she thought that he was cute—but in a little kid type of way. She had, however; always found him an interesting and mysterious fellow, and very innovative for his age. Age, unfortunately made all the difference all those many years ago. Despite the fact that Ferb was significantly older than his step-brother, he still was four years younger than her, and at the time, she simply thought that he was well . . . an interesting little kid.

Now, with both of them in their twenties, age made no difference at all. And frankly? Vanessa couldn't help but feel glad about that. The instant he'd walked in the door, nearly every perspective about him she'd had, had changed. He hardly showed any signs of that kid anymore.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Vanessa said nervously. She couldn't understand how she could be nervous in front of him. She'd never had problems with boys—men—(she corrected herself) in the past. And then realized that Ferb wasn't _like _other men.

Ferb nodded in response. "It is, however; always lovely to see an old friend."

_Oh my,_ she thought.

That accent of his (that he seemed to have never lost, despite all his time in America) made him that much more interesting. And with that came his deep entrancing voice. Other women must just lap it up.

However, Ferb wasn't interested in 'other women.' Despite the fact that he'd always considered himself a "ladies' man," and had always enjoyed their company, none of the relationships he'd had with any of them had lasted very long. And seeing her again only made it that much harder to deny that with every woman he'd enjoyed the company of, he'd been both subconsciously and consciously comparing them to her.

"So, what have you been doing all these years, Ferb?" Vanessa asked him curiously.

She sat down on the couch and patted the space beside her as an indication to sit.

He knew he'd have to answer this question eventually, even if it had been initially a matter of international security. So he sat down beside her, took a deep breath and began his tale.


	3. Chapter 3: The Last Three Years

**Chapter 3: The Last Three Years**

"It all started one evening after high school graduation. With application in hand, I had begun to apply to many of the colleges of my choice, when I received a coded message from a secret organization called the OWCA."

Perry backed carefully out of the room, knowing where this was going. Despite the fact that Ferb had been released, Perry on the other hand, was still a working agent. Ferb knew this, and acknowledged his leave.

"Now initially, they worked with animals,"

"Like bomb squad style? How they train dogs and other animals to sniff out things that humans can't?" Baljeet supplied, sitting in the recliner chair to his left, with Ginger on his lap.

_Close enough,_ Ferb thought. They'd think he was crazy if he told the real truth. Ferb only continued, so that it wasn't as if he'd lied, but he hadn't said anything on the matter, either.

"But recently they started a branch of their Organization working with humans, and that's where I come in."

Everyone had sat down in the chairs around him to listen to his tale.

Phineas, sitting directly across from him on another couch and snuggled closely with Isabella, had that spark in his eyes when he remembered their "mission" as secret agents from when they were younger. "So, what did you do?"

"Well, my mission was to go undercover and infiltrate a meeting of mass terrorists planning on attacking the US. I was terrified and anxious the entire time. I literally was going as the leader's right-hand man."

Everyone gasped at that, gave a sigh of relief, chuckled a little to themselves, then looked back at Ferb, giving him the okay to continue.

"So there I was, tape recorder in hand under the table, catching every word. I was so afraid to get caught. I had a hard time breathing. I even had to contribute my own part, but my superiors planned that out ahead of time. When it was all over, I came back to headquarters and they told me that despite that I was the only human operative they've had make it home alive, they had no need for my services anymore, as this was a one-time mission. It took so many years because I had to gain their trust, learn my cover, and actually become the character, and then slowly, transition back. Even now," He said, looking at all of them, "I'm still not quite myself."


	4. Chapter 4: Love Rekindled

**Chapter 4: Love Rekindled**

Ferb could feel a pair of eyes staring at him the entire party. Vanessa's eyes. He tried to ignore it, not believing he still liked her.

Vanessa couldn't believe it either. For as long as she'd known him, Ferb had been that quirky little kid she knew from Blueprint Haven and the Superduper Mega Superstore—where he'd saved her life. But overall, he was still a little kid in her mind in comparison to herself. Now, he looked like anything but a little kid.

Besides the fact that he'd grown into his frame, he'd become more confident with age, and seemed to have a firm footing on his life. He was balanced and well assured. He was polite, kind, and generous.

On top of it all, however; she couldn't help notice how _muscular_ he was. Evidently that work-out regimen he and Phineas had created must have paid off.

_Alright, fine._ She admitted to herself. _I'm hot for him. But why do I feel so bizarre around him? All jittery and stuff?_

He was standing there beside her, and being as observant as he was, knew she was absorbed in something. The only reason he couldn't tell? Because he was absorbed in something as well.

It was silent as the desert. Ferb couldn't help but know that his feelings for Vanessa had never lost its strength, despite what he'd been telling himself for the last three years.

Finally deciding on a piece of Isabella's crumb cake, she went to sit by the fire. Staring at the smoldering flames, she realized that there had never been a good relationship with someone like that before. Not really. Johnny—it hurt to think about him, but she did anyway—was everything she expected of him (which was part of the problem)—until she found out that he was not only cheating on her, not only sleeping with another woman, it wasn't just one of her friends, but he'd also gotten this 'friend' of hers pregnant, so he was gone and done with more than two years back and then she remembered how Ferb had comforted her that horrible day. After that, she'd never bothered with another relationship, worried that she'd turn into her father.

As Vanessa thought of Johnny's wiles, Ferb thought about the last 'relationship' he'd had with someone, and realized he'd actually never really had any. It was always a 'get her into bed and get the hell out before the sun rises' kind of deal, likely to barely even glance at them when they met each other in passing again.

He, of course, immediately began to worry. He couldn't do that to Vanessa. They were friends. He couldn't. It would be hurtful and rude. He'd just have to tell his hormones 'no.'

Vanessa had come to the same conclusion, so when he sat beside her, they simply stared into the flames for a while, not speaking—until Ginger spilled her drink. Vanessa beat her to the kitchen and reached up to the high shelf for the paper towels, her shirt coming up and exposing some of the creamy-white flesh on her lower back. Ferb's mouth watered, watching her from the kitchen doorway. He'd followed to see if he could do something to help, and ended up getting a pretty nice view out of the deal. Walking about halfway into the room, she hardly noticed him as she was so distracted.

Turning around, she slipped on the newly polished floor and fell right into him, and he caught her against his chest. He looked down at her with a solemn expression, but laughing eyes. Breathing shallowly, she looked up at him. Opening her mouth to speak, he stared at her lips. "Ferb, I—" He couldn't hear what sounds they made, and didn't bother to try to listen. Then, he was swallowing them. He placed his lips on hers with a fiery intensity, retreating slowly only to change the angle of the kiss. She moaned softly.

Fighting for control, she let her tongue caress his lower lip, and then forced her tongue inside his mouth and began teasing the roof of it. It was his turn to moan.

"Guys! What's taking so—" Isabella called as she stepped into the kitchen, and then noticed how the two were intertwined. "A-hem." She coughed, and the two slowly retreated, but only as far as they had to. "I don't mean to disturb, I really don't," she said, giggling slightly, "but Ginger needs those paper towels." She pointed to where they'd been thrown haphazardly amidst the chaos.

Vanessa stepped away from Ferb,—admitted reluctantly—grabbed them, and handed them to Isabella, smiling apologetically but mostly smugly, happy that he'd done it.

Later that evening, when they'd all gone their separate ways (well except for Ferb and Vanessa, who went back to his apartment), Phineas and Isabella sat down on the couch together, his arm around her, her head on his shoulder, happy about how the evening had gone.

"It looks like Ferb had a good time," Phineas said.

"Really? I thought he was going to hate it," she said sarcastically.

"What?"

"I walked in on them."

Phineas, oblivious as always, looked absolutely confused.

"Ginger spilled her soda, remember? Vanessa went into the kitchen to get the paper towels, and Ferb followed her. She was taking too long so I went to see what was taking so long, when I walked in on them."

Still clueless, Phineas gave her a blank stare.

"They were kissing—no, making out is more accurate. I can't believe it! All this time, and I never knew he liked her!"

"Isabella, _I_ knew that."

"How did you know, and not me?"

"He kept talking about her in his sleep."

"Well, that gives you an unfair advantage, wouldn't you think?" She said playfully.

"Gee, I guess so." He responded jokingly in turn.

Then he simply stared at her, and smiled. "Everything's going to turn out alright, isn't it?" He said happily.

"Yes, yes it is." She told him, and pulled him in for a tender kiss.


	5. Chapter 5: Too Close For Comfort

**Chapter 5: Too Close For Comfort**

Sighing, Vanessa began to trudge up the last few flights of her father's building, *Doofensmirtz Evil Incorporated.* She really needed to get Norm to fix the elevator.

Breathing heavily as she made her way to the top step, she walked slowly up to his door and knocked.

"Oh, who is it now? I don't have time for such things . . ." He said irritably as he opened the door, and then noticed it was his daughter. "Oh, Vanessa! How good to see you!" He proclaimed delightedly, and let her in.

"So dad, what have you been working on today? Or has Perry already been here?" She said as she stepped into his "lair" of sorts.

Perry chattered, irritated, and Vanessa noticed that he had been captured in a net, and since Doof had turned away to answer the door, he had now escaped. "What, Perry the platypus? You escaped? This is nothing like the usual. Why did you escape already? I haven't even told you my plan!"

Perry only destroyed the machine, ignored Doofensmirtz, and walked out, acknowledging Vanessa with the tip of his hat as he left through the door that had yet to be closed.

"Hmmmm . . ." Dr. D. said. "Something must be on his mind." Then he looked up and eyed his daughter. "So what brings you to the home of your failing father?"

"Dad, you're not failing. Just because your inators never work doesn't mean that you don't do a good job. Besides, you've never failed at being my father." Vanessa said sincerely. She'd grown more mature those last few years, and had come to appreciate that her father did care about her—certainly more than some fathers did to their children—even if he _was_ evil. "I figured since I was renting an apartment and I'd already come to see Mom that I'd come visit you. I would have shown up two days ago, but I was invited to a party and it went so late that I ended up getting up so late the next day that I thought I'd come see you today."

"Well, that's nice dear. I guess we could spend some time together, a father-daughter thing, perhaps?"

"Yeah, dad. I'd like that. Maybe you could give me some evil lessons?" She asked playfully, and he smiled with a playful grin, himself. Despite the fact that she had decided that evil wasn't her thing, she loved her father and always like to tease him about it. Besides, it always made an interesting conversation starter.

When Perry exits *Doofensmirtz Evil Incorporated,* he lets out an audible sigh of relief, knowing just how close that came. Perry knew that it was going to be even harder, there being Vanessa staying at Ferb's house lately. Perry'd come to check up on him, and Ferb had offered him a place to stay for a while so that he could get away from the love nest. Now it appeared as if he'd literally walked into another one. Despite that fact that Perry had met another platypus that he loved dearly, he still couldn't quite understand what his owners' fascination was with love.

He was too close to enemy lines. Even though he knew that Vanessa would never tell her father that the Flynn-Fletcher's pet platypus was his arch-nemesis, blowing his cover was almost inevitable. After all, how many other platypuses (or was it platypi? Or platypeople?) were named Perry? It was practically a given.

"Well, Perry," Ferb said, "I'm off to bed. Vanessa's leaving in the morning. Good night, boy."

Perry chattered in response, and glanced at Vanessa. Had she put two and two together yet?

Nope. Unaware as ever.

So the two of them went to the bedroom, leaving Perry to his quiet and his pet bed on the floor.

_At about 3:00 AM . . ._

Perry is awoken to a beeping noise.

Groaning, he pulls back the fur covering his watch on his paw.

Still laying on his pet bed, he pulls out his agent fedora and places it on his head as Major Monogram begins to brief him.

Vanessa, unable to fall back asleep, cracks the door open to Ferb's bedroom soundlessly, and stops when she suddenly hears a beeping noise coming from the living room. She peeks around the door.

She cannot help but stare as a bright light shines onto Ferb's pet platypus, Perry.

Then she sees him put on the fedora. Vanessa holds he breath, waiting for confirmation of her suspicions.

An aging man's voice begins to speak.

"Sorry to wake you, Agent P, but Dr. Doofensmirtz has a late-night contraption, and won't stop calling the office or my home phone until you get over there to thwart him, so go stop him!"

Perry rolls his eyes out of irritation, but salutes and gets up on his hind legs and walks out the front door.

Vanessa lets out the breath she's been holding. _So it is true,_ she thought to herself. _Well, this is going to be an interesting tale . . ._

The next morning, Vanessa and Ferb were eating breakfast that he'd prepared for the two of them when she decided to take the direct approach.

"So Ferb," she said calmly, stirring her scrambled eggs a bit and placing them on her fork. "How long has Perry been a secret agent?" She placed the eggs in her mouth and began chewing, watching his face for a response.

He reached under the table and pressed a button. Cover Breached. The emergency button.

To keep her from being suspicious of him, he replied, "Even I'm not sure, he was one way back when Phineas and I were kids."

By the time he'd finished giving his explanation, the T.V. on the wall lit up with Major Monogram's face, and Perry put on his agent hat.

"Hello again, Vanessa. I wondered if we'd meet under these cercumstances." He was wheezing, and knew that Carl would be soon taking over the agency, but he didn't want to retire just yet.

"Agent P,' he said sternly to the platypus, "You have broken the number one rule of the agency. 'Secrecy is everything.' In requirement with the agency, Vanessa's memory ought to be wiped and you removed from the agency, but due to the fact that you are our best agent and we would hate to lose you at this time, and this could easily happen again due to such close quarters, other arrangements need to be made. In addition, you are getting close to retirement age, Agent P." He said this fondly now.

"So here's what we—Carl and I—propose. Your son just recently—uhh—hatched . . . didn't he?"

Perry nodded proudly.

"You're to stay in the agency until you finish training your replacement—your son Perry Jr."

Perry wasn't too pleased with this arrangement, but agreed and saluted his superior.

Then Monogram turned to Vanessa. "Now, if it had been anyone else who'd discovered it, it would be simply a matter of having your word, since you'd likely be admitted to an insane asylum if you said anything. But you aren't anyone else. You're Vanessa Doofensmirtz, the daughter of the very man Agent P's had as his nemesis for all these years."

Ferb had an alarmed look in his eyes. Having never actually _met_ her father and had never been told the name of Perry's nemesis, this was a complete shock to him. _ No wonder she disliked her father so much,_ he mused.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," Vanessa replied with a huff. "I may have a healthier relationship with my father than I did as a teen, but I'd never tell him about this. Besides, I rather like knowing that he doesn't know. That hasn't changed in ten years, and probably won't change for another twenty more, maybe even longer.

Monogram couldn't help but consent, and let the matter go. "Well, that's all I guess. Doof's got nothing planned for today since you thwarted him last night, so I'll leave today for you to tell your son. Have a good day, you two." He said, nodding at Ferb and Vanessa and then turned off the video feed.


	6. Chapter 6: Ferb's Awakening

**Chapter 6: Ferb's Awakening**

*Flashback*

Walking up to the room the two brothers shared, Ferb smiled to himself. _Carpe Diem,_ he thought to himself. As much as he loved to read, he felt like today wasn't a day for it.

So he instead opened the window and climbed out, shimmying down the side of the house with ease using his gravity defying dancing skills.

He headed to the local café, hoping to see Vanessa or at least one of her friends at their favorite hang out.

He walked up to the bartender, leaning cooly on the counter as he spoke. "Morning Bobby." He said relaxed, with a hint of suave personality stirred in.

"The usual, then?"

"Maybe later, Bobby. I'm actually looking for a friend."

"Could it be that young lady over there?" he pointed to a hunched figure in the corner, clad in all black. She was turned away from him, but he could see her chest moving up and down rapidly, as if she were sobbing. _ Could she be sobbing?_

Bobby continued to speak, drawing him out of his thoughts. "She came in with a man-friend of hers, but he left a while ago, and now she won't talk to me. Or anyone else who's come up to her, for that matter. You know her?"

"In a manner of speaking," Ferb replied, knowing that was an over-statement. Sure, he'd met her during his adventures with Phineas and saved her life more than once, but that wasn't really _knowing_ her. "I'll go see if I can cheer her up, or at least see what's on her mind." He said, and walked up to her.

"Vanessa," He said gently.

"I told you to go away, Johnny." She mumbled, and looked up at him. "You're not . . ." she stopped, then recognized him. "F-ferb?"

He nods, and sits down beside her. "What's wrong?"

"I broke up with Johnny." She looked him in the eyes.

He gave her that look that said, _If you broke up with him, then why are you the one crying?_

"I broke up with him because he was cheating on me."

She began to sob again, and Ferb did what came naturally to him. He pulled her into his arms. She didn't resist, which surprised him. He didn't like seeing her like this, and she hated it, feeling vulnerable and alone.

She pulled him closer and cried into his chest. He held her close and stroked her hair attentively, assuring her that everything was going to be all right eventually.

When she was done, the let go of each other and he pulled out a handkerchief, which made her chuckle lightly to herself, and made him smile.

*End Flashback*

Vanessa was spending the day with her father, attempting to ease in the fact that the two of them were dating, which left Ferb alone, since Perry was off training his son, Perry Jr., to become an agent.

When he thinks of the past, Ferb cannot help but admit that the desire he had as a kid, as a teen, grew into something . . . well . . . more. The flame that touched that wick never fizzled out, in fact it seemed to increase in intensity every time he looked at her.

_You're in love, bro._ His very own words to Phineas were coming back to haunt him.

H-he wasn't in l-love with Vanessa, was he? No, no he couldn't be. Love was something intangible made tangible. Something that was treasured above all else.

But even as he sat and denied, that little voice kept calling, _You're gonna miss your chance, kid. Denying the situation won't help!_

Then Ferb, who never slept during the day, fell asleep on the couch, and dreamt soley of Vanessa in ways he'd never imagined before.

When he awoke, there was no room for denial. He was madly in love with Vanessa, and he wasn't exactly sure of where to go with that.


	7. Chapter 7: Give Me One Reason

**Chapter 7: Give Me One Reason**

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Vanessa knocked on the door of her father's apartment, knowing the sheer magnitude of what she was trying to accomplish.

Telling her mother had been easy. Mentioning it in passing was enough for Charlene.

Heinz, on the other hand, no matter how "evil" he claimed to be, loved his daughter with everything he had and by nature wanted to know _everything under the sun about him._

So when he opened the door, she played it casual, working her way around and through many topics. She sat down on his couch and he brought her some water.

When she took off on a tangent about lightbulbs, he stopped her, tipped her head up to meet his gaze, and said, "There's a reason you came here, and you're trying to avoid it. It's only going to be harder to tell me the longer you wait," he stated reasonably.

He let go of her chin, but she still held his gaze. "I've got a new boyfriend." She blurted, knowing it was best to get it all out at once.

"Have I met him before?" Vanessa had to stop and think. _Had_ they met before?

"Sort of. He helped me get the pizzasium infonionite for you at the Superduper Mega Superstore."

"But I never actually met the boy. What's his name?"

"It's Ferb. It's short for something, but even his sister doesn't know what."

"That hoodlum? The one who's always building those inventions?"

"He wasn't alone in them. Besides, he saved my life—Twice. And he's not a hoodlum!"

"Give me one reason I should like him."

"I'll give you two. If that isn't enough, I can give you more," she said assertively and indignantly. She couldn't understand why she was so forth-coming about all of this. _Could she be . . . ?_ _No._ She told herself. _She couldn't be._ "One, he reminds me of you, always building things that show true meaning from the artist. Two, he makes me happy."

"One more." He replied, teasingly.

Before she knew she'd said it, she blurted out, "Three, I'm in love with him."

He turned to her and gave her a legitimate smile. "Well in that case," he said seriously, "You didn't even need to ask. All I ever wanted for you, Vanessa, was something concrete in your life after the divorce and Johnny and everything else that happened. If he's that foundation, and that rock never slips out from under you, I have no need to worry." His words shocked her so much that she even allowed him to kiss her on the forehead, like he longed to do since she was little.


	8. Chapter 8: Anywhere, Anything

**Chapter 8: Anywhere, Anything**

He'd promised her a date, and a date she was going to have.

She'd gone back to her apartment to changed, so he picked her up there, with a dozen red roses and a sly kiss on the hand.

_He was a gentleman,_ she mused to herself, smiling. It wasn't the kiss itself, but he execution that made her feel as if her very eyes were going to roll back into her head.

He took her out to a quiet little restaurant on the outskirts of town, where the music, whether slow and smooth jazz or quick reverberating rock, it suits the atmosphere just the same.

Today, it was neither, but an old blues song played as they entered, lifting their spirits.

When they were seated, he pulled out a gift. She opened it to see a scarf. Not just any scarf, but the one she'd left at Johnny's all that time ago. _He had guts to make a move and show up on Johnny's doorstep like that._ He was handsome and creative, dreaming and daring, and very, very nervous.

She pulled him close and kissed his neck, which he flinched to out of surprise, not expecting that.

"It's beautiful." She mumbled into the curve of his neck.

"And so are you." He said, kissing the top of her head. Of all the times anyone had called her such, those words from him were the only time she actually believed it.

They didn't break away from each other until the waiter came, and didn't lose contact throughout the meal, their fingers interlaced.

When they were done, he took her out to see the moon. They simply stood there, gazing up at the sky. Then he remembered why they were at this spot.

As he got down on one knee, he pulled out the ring. "I love you with everything I am, Vanessa Doofensmirtz. Will you marry me?"

Tears of joy glistened in her eyes as she accepted the ring and all it stood for. Pulling him up to meet her, she kissed him with everything she had. "Yes, Ferb. I love you too. I'd go with you anywhere, do anything, just as long as it's with you."

Then he kissed her in turn, long and sweet, that driven and passionate, knowing that it was one of the best days of his life.


	9. Epilogue: Home's Where The Heart Is

**Epilogue: Home's where the Heart Is**

**Vanessa's POV**

Phineas and Isabella were married the summer following our engagement, knowing how much summer had meant to the two boys. Only a few months later, Isabella was found to be pregnant, and just recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy, whom they named Jameson Thomas Flynn. The two of them are happy and healthy with their bundle of joy.

Perry's quit the agency, and Perry Jr. now takes care of business, but always relates the stories to his father for laughs. Perry and his lovely platypus Lizzy have another egg about to hatch. We're hoping it's a girl. Perry's very excited, and so are we.

Ferb and I are doing well now. We got married the summer after Isabella and Phineas did, with all the family present. Dad was tearing up when he gave me away, and that's how I knew it was time.

We found out I was pregnant two months ago. Ferb says he hopes it's happy and healthy, whatever gender it may be, but I'm hoping for a girl, with his eyes and especially his nose. She could easily get stuck with Dad's genes if we aren't careful.

When I wake up every morning in his arms and look into his eyes, I know I made the right choice.

Someone once said that home is where the heart is. Well, I guess that means that wherever I am, I'm home, as long as it's beside Ferb.

No POV

THE END


	10. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**THIS IS AN AUTHOR'S NOTE PAGE FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE READING THESE STORIES, THERE ARE PLENTY TO CHOOSE FROM.**

"**Greatest Gift, Lasting Love" CANDACE AND JEREMY**

"**Love Realized, Truth Revealed" PHINEAS AND ISABELLA**

"**Secret Souls, Passionate Hearts" FERB AND VANESSA (WITH FLASHBACK TO THE DAY PHINEAS AND ISABELLA SPENT TOGETHER IN "Love Realized, Truth Revealed" SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT HE DID THAT DAY, READ IT)**

**AND THE NEWEST AND NOT COMPLETE QUITE YET STORY,**

"**Love Lost, Love Found" BALJEET AND GINGER (NOW FINISHED AND UPLOADED!)**

**OR, YOU COULD JUST CLICK ON MY NAME AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE TO FIND ALL OF MY STORIES. IT'S THAT SIMPLE!**


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